Chinese Democracy - Where Do You Stand?

Motley Crue

So, given that Axl is on his way to Irish shores pretty shortly, and given that almost all of the material from Chinese Democracy is being played live on a continual basis, it's time to talk about the album people either love to hate or hate to love.

So what is your opinion of Chinese Democracy, did you ever buy it, or did you just illegally download it (or legally download it) and then delete it. If you bought it, did you sell it, or did you just wait until it was £3 new on Amazon.co.uk

rednik

I bought it when it came out and thought it was very good. Whether it was worth the long wait is another question. Very different to all the albums before it but if Axl was just to rely on the past he would have been criticised. I still listen to it regularly and looking forward to hearing it live in the 02.

Gerard.C

I bought it when it came out, didnt like most of it, and now it's gathering dust on my shelf. This I love is a great song. The rest does nothing for me

Cormac2791

Waste of 15 yo yos for me

fluke

I quite like it. It has a couple of patchy moments but's definitely an album that needs a few repeated listens to get a feel for it - just don't expect the GnR sound of old.

lord lucan

I legally downloaded it but have since deleted it. Gave it plenty of listens in the hope it would grow on me but alas it never did.

nyarlothothep

He said he was going to release Chinese Democracy parts 2 and 3, I think it was meant to be last year and this year, what gives?

A Primal Nut

nyarlothothep wrote: »

He said he was going to release Chinese Democracy parts 2 and 3, I think it was meant to be last year and this year, what gives?

I hope you aren't genuinely shocked!

I bought it it the day before it was officially released and I loved it. That said, I don't listen to it much these days especially in comparison to the older albums so thats not a good sign. Still, Sorry is one of my favourite GnR songs ever. Love Shackler's Revenge, Madagascar and Prostitute as well. Most songs were overworked and most songs I preferred the early demos/live versions (such as Street of Dreams). Some rubbish songs like Rhiad and Scraped as well. He should have just released it as it was around 99-01 and could have been much better and less people would have lost interest.

Buckethead shines on the album. If he was on the current tour it would give the band as much credibility as having Slash (considering they are playing a lot of new songs). But not even having the two lead guitarists or drummer who played most of the new album turns them into even more of a cover band. I'll still go see them though.

Otis Driftwood

On top of the disc grinding it into the ground.It is rubbish.

jack presley

About half the songs are alright/good, the rest are just filler.

Max Power1

nedtheshed wrote: »

On top of the disc grinding it into the ground.It is rubbish.

Haha brilliant!! My sentiments exactly

PattheMetaller

I bought it soon after it came out. It's different from previous G'n'R albums, but it can't hold a candle to Slash's new album.

Also, having witnessed a classic set by Slash at Download last weekend, I can't be arsed going to the G'n'R gig to watch 3 hrs of costume changes.

Motley Crue

PattheMetaller wrote: »

It's different from previous G'n'R albums, but it can't hold a candle to Slash's new album.

I disagree. I cannot stand Slash's new album, it did nothing for me

Het-Field

Death Magnetic = Better

Nea

One of the best albums Warrior Soul have brought out in years.

waltersobchak

Het-Field wrote: »

Death Magnetic = Better

Only slightly to be fair..

I can see why it divided so many people, as not a huge fan of "classic" G'N'R, I actually really enjoyed the album, Bucketheads guitar plaing is
fu*king immsense,although the album didnt really have enough substance to maintain my attention over the long term

Kess73

Nea wrote: »

One of the best albums Warrior Soul have brought out in years.

That got a good loud laugh from me.


As for the Axl album. Bought it when it came out. Quickly realised that it was a very average and very dull album overall that would have had no hype over it if any other band released it.

It became a dust gatherer and has since been given to a charity shop along with a box of other cds and dvds.

grimm2005

I really like street of dreams and catcher in the rye. Apart from those 2 i found the rest of the album pretty rubbish.
Slash's album is far from brilliant, but there are quite a few great tracks on it, far more than Chinese Democracy

Pauleta

I liked it at 1st but after a while i didnt really take to it. There are a few good songs on it.

evillive

as Eamon Dunphy might say, 'its a good album, not a great album'

Patricide

I liked it, a few filler tracks and in some cases the earlier demo versions of the tracks were better but overall I think its good. Its not guns and roses though.

That being said, i think it kicks the **** out of the new slash album. Dunno how everyone thinks that one is so good....

finbarrk

I'd prefer Slash's album anyway.

rgjmce

Patricide wrote: »

I liked it, a few filler tracks and in some cases the earlier demo versions of the tracks were better but overall I think its good. Its not guns and roses though.

That being said, i think it kicks the **** out of the new slash album. Dunno how everyone thinks that one is so good....

Yeah I love slash's album but he has played better on g'n'r and vr albums but back to the point at hand. Personally I don't like chinese democracy, seems like a huge waste of axls time but I guess he got bored and decided to put it out.

sxt

I really like the album but I don't think alot of the songs run well together and it is too overdone/polished on the production .-Better ,this i love and if the world are awesome

Riddle101

I bought the album, and thought it was alright. It's nothing special. I could proberly listen to it and not want to rip my ears out, and I still happy I bought the album but it's definately their worse album. But i'm not surprised really, I never expected the album to be any better then the past. Ever since the original cast left, things just haven't been the same.

It's funny really, cause I had been eagerly anticipating this album for quite a long time. Everytime I heard the album was being put back or delayed I would get annoyed but now I see I was annoyed for nothing.

ozzy jr

I like it!

Have it on CD and vinyl. The artwork is **** though.

Soylent_Green

Probably "rushed" it out so that Dr Pepper would have to come good on their promise to give every american a soda. Did they ever follow through with that?

Star Bingo

Soylent_Green wrote: »

Probably "rushed" it out so that Dr Pepper would have to come good on their promise to give every american a soda. Did they ever follow through with that?

:pac: yup http://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/10/dr-pepper-to-ma/

was just thinkin.. the grafitti in the lanes n chav offspring running wild has increased ten fold here in 1 year.

thinkin i need some.. Chinese Democracy!

BostonB

All of these albums would be far better if they kept it simple, less instruments simpler riffs. They are over thinking it.

Motley Crue

Star Bingo wrote: »

:pac: yup http://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/10/dr-pepper-to-ma/
!

They did, but that didn't stop Axl trying to sue them, when Dr Pepper suddenly realised their "funny" wasn't a joke anymore. An interview with an exec said that idea was brought up because nobody EVER taught he would release the album, sure enough, he did - and then they had to supply free cola

The offer was only good for 2L bottles, there was only two weeks in which to cash it in, and only certain places accepted it....and that was AFTER they sent in the lawyers lol

ticketsthere

finbarrk wrote: »

I'd prefer Slash's album anyway.

Really? I listened to Slash's record back in March and it was sooo boring. So little to get a grip on and basically the album a cartoonist would have come up with.

Chinese Democracy is an incredible piece of work, worth every minute of it’s 14 year production. No denying it's far too over produced in places but the songs are just incredible.

Everyone I've talked to (who likes it) all agree there's a handful of stick in your head, dragged out annoying ones but these seem to differ depending on who you're chatting to.

Street of Dreams, Madagascar, Chinese Democracy, Shackers Revenge, Better, There Was A Time, Scraped, Riad N' The Bedouins, Sorry & This I Love - All brilliant!

Faith+1

Didn't much care for it. Use your Illusion 1&2 were the best I thought!:cool:

ticketsthere

Faith+1 wrote: »

Didn't much care for it. Use your Illusion 1&2 were the best I thought!:cool:

Should give it a few goes. If you're a fan of the older material it takes some adjusting but after awhile it grows on you like boils from a plague. It's so damn complex with soooo many layers of fantastic musicianship piled on top of each other and each listen brings a new solo or lead to the limelight. Love it!

Faith+1

ticketsthere wrote: »

Should give it a few goes. If you're a fan of the older material it takes some adjusting but after awhile it grows on you like boils from a plague. It's so damn complex with soooo many layers of fantastic musicianship piled on top of each other and each listen brings a new solo or lead to the limelight. Love it!

I will admit that the intro beat to 'Chinese Democracy' is pretty intense!

ticketsthere

Faith+1 wrote: »

I will admit that the intro beat to 'Chinese Democracy' is pretty intense!

Ah yeah, it's savage. Have you seen how they're doing it live? Brilliant!

Also, give Shackler's Revenge a go, the guitar on the last verse is just incredible, this mad rolling finger tapping explosion and it's so understated. The songs a tad nu-metalish but that guitar just sells the thing.

Royale with Cheese

When it first came out I'd have given it 8/10, really liked a lot of the songs on it.

Now I'd give it 6.5 maybe. Too much filler, I end up skipping 5 or so songs every time I listen to it.

sxt

ticketsthere wrote: »

Ah yeah, it's savage. Have you seen how they're doing it live? Brilliant!

Also, give Shackler's Revenge a go, the guitar on the last verse is just incredible, this mad rolling finger tapping explosion and it's so understated. The songs a tad nu-metalish but that guitar just sells the thing.

Agree, that is a great little guitar solo in shacklers and also the on rhiad by bumble, loved buckets bits in in chinese democracy and better and the paced up flamingo bit on if the world ,plus robins soaring guitar solo on this i love!


I can't believe i forgot to mention the truly epic solo parts by robin and bucket on there was a time,last acouple of minutes,truely amazing.

Faith+1

ticketsthere wrote: »

Ah yeah, it's savage. Have you seen how they're doing it live? Brilliant!

Nope, Went to see them in the RDS back in '06. Great concert except Axel kept disappering. I found out he had an oxegen tent or someting backstage. He used it to recharge his lungs, obviously it worked cos that man could still hit the high notes!:D

Mental Mickey

ticketsthere wrote: »

Really? I listened to Slash's record back in March and it was sooo boring. So little to get a grip on and basically the album a cartoonist would have come up with.

Chinese Democracy is an incredible piece of work, worth every minute of it’s 14 year production. No denying it's far too over produced in places but the songs are just incredible.

Everyone I've talked to (who likes it) all agree there's a handful of stick in your head, dragged out annoying ones but these seem to differ depending on who you're chatting to.

Street of Dreams, Madagascar, Chinese Democracy, Shackers Revenge, Better, There Was A Time, Scraped, Riad N' The Bedouins, Sorry & This I Love - All brilliant!

Re: the highlighted ones: all crap imo. Extremely average album.

IanMc666

Has some good songs, the title track being my favourite.

Will always be Appetite and Use Your Illusion combos for me though.

Looking forward to checking Axl and co out in September.

ticketsthere

IanMc666 wrote: »

Looking forward to checking Axl and co out in September.

Oh yes, my Dublin tickets arrived this morning :D Roll on the Guns!

Motley Crue

ticketsthere wrote: »

Oh yes, my Dublin tickets arrived this morning :D Roll on the Guns!

I personally cannot wait for this, should be an amazing concert

ticketsthere

Motley Crue wrote: »

I personally cannot wait for this, should be an amazing concert

Hell yes. Aside from the waiting around and endless solo's, pauses and the Live and Let Die cover, it'll be a fantastic gig. All reports from the 2009/2010 legs so far have been outstanding and the stage show looks brilliant.

Motley Crue

ticketsthere wrote: »

Hell yes. Aside from the waiting around and endless solo's, pauses and the Live and Let Die cover, it'll be a fantastic gig. All reports from the 2009/2010 legs so far have been outstanding and the stage show looks brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTr9scN1jJw

and can I just say, they should have put 'Checkmate' on the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIABzOU37m0

rovert

I like it a lot. Gets better with every listen.

sxt

Posted this in the gigs section,but this **** is sounding great! CAn't wait for the gig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT7Cl8CACUE

Rubberlegs

Both myself and OH major GnR fans. I was in NY when Chinese Democracy was released, so got it there. I absolutely love it while OH can't stand it:mad:. Though must say good and all as I think it is, it wouldn't entice me to see them live again. Don't think it would come close to Slane 92, I prefer to remember them at their very best, Slash n all:D:D